Feeding and marking means for tubes and the like



July 31, 1951 L. J. BLANCHETTE FEEDING AND MARKING MEANS FOR TUBES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 26, 1945 FIG INVENTOR THU 5U WIIIYIIEE LORENZO' J. BLANCHETTE ATTORNEY FIG.

Patented July 31, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEEDING AND MARKING MEANS FOR TUBES AND THE LIKE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 G. 757) 1 Claim.

My invention relates to a feeding device. It has to do, more particularly, with feeding mechanism associated with a marking machine for feeding tubes or similar articles into position to be marked by a suitable marking device.

The feeding mechanism which has been provided on marking machines of the type indicated in the prior art is of such a nature that there is danger of distortion or other damage to the articles being marked, especially if they are thin wall articles, during the feeding of the articles into association with the marking device. Also, the prior art feeding mechanism is of such a nature that it has a limited capacity.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide feeding mechanism associated with a machine of the type indicated which is of such a nature that it will effectively feed the tubes or other articles into association with the marking device without danger of distortion or other damage to the articles.

Another object of my invention is to provide feeding mechanism of the type indicated which will have a greatly increased capacity.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing where- Fig. l is a plan view of a marking machine having my feeding device associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail in vertical section of the central part of the feeding mechanism.

With reference to the drawing, I have illustrated a marking machine comprising a table top I which may be supported in a suitable manner at the desired height. This table top I is provided with a recess 2 of annular outline which occupies the greater part of its area. Disposed within the recess 2 is arotatable turntable 3. This turntable 3 is of disk form and fills the recess 2 with its edge being closely adjacent to the edge of the recess 2. The turntable 3 is provided with a central opening which slips over the upper reduced end 4 of a shaft 5 that is rotated in any suitable manner. The turntable 3 rests on the shoulder 6 formed on the shaft.

Superimposed on the turntable 3 is my article feeding unit I. This unit comprises the upper and lower plates or disks 8 and 9. These plates are substantially less in diameter than the plate 3 and, consequently, there is provided an exposed annular supporting surface on turntable 3 around the unit I. The disks 8 and 9 are attached to each other, in vertically spaced rela- 2 tionship, by a series of spacer sleeves Ii! secured between the disks by bolts I I which pass through the sleeves and through aligning openings in the two disks. The sleeves I0 are disposed at spaced intervals along a circle which is concentrio with the disks 8 and 9 but is spaced inwardly from the peripheries of the disks. Disposed at the periphery of the disks 8 and 9 are the small vertically disposed rollers I2. These rollers are of a height slightly less than the vertical distance between the disks 8 and 9 and each is rotatably supported by a bolt I3 which passes through aligning openings in the disks. The bolts I3 are disposed at the edges of the disks 8 and 9 and, consequently, the rollers will extend beyond such edges of the disks. The bolts I3 are at such circumferentially spaced intervals that the rollers I2 will be practically in contact with each other.

The disks 8 and 9 are provided at their centers with openings which align with each other so that the unit I may be slipped onto or off of the reduced upper end 4 of the shaft 5. The lower disk 9 will rest on the plate 3 when unit I is positioned on the shaft. To hold the unit I in position and to connect it to the turntable 9 so that it will rotate therewith, I provide a cap disk I4. This disk I4 is provided with a central opening so that it can be slipped over the upper reduced end 4 of the shaft 5. A series of screw bolts I5 are passed downwardly through a series of circumferentially spaced aligning openings formed in the cap disk I4 and the disks 8 and 9 and are threaded into aligning openings formed in the plate 3. A nut I6 is threaded onto the upper end of the shaft and will bear against cap I4. Thus, the unit I will be tightly clamped in position. However, it may be removed easily and be replaced With a unit of different size so that the feeding unit can be adapted to different size articles.

Associated with the rotatable turntable 3, is a marking unit I! which is of the usual type and is adapted to apply a desired marking to the articles, for example, the small tubes I8. The device I'I usually consists of a series of embossed characters I9 which will be forced into the metal of the tubes as they are rolled over the characters with sufficient pressure. The unit I1 may be mounted on a bracket 20 which is rigidly secured to the table top I at the edge of recess 2 but is radially adjustable. The unit I! will extend over the plate 3 but will be spaced slightly above it so as not to interfere with rotation of the plate.

The feeding unit I is adapted to receive the tubes I8 and feed them into association with the marking unit 11. Each tube will occupy a position in the cradle formed between two of the adjacent rollers [2. The tubes will contact with the rollers but not with the peripheries of the disks 8 and 9. The lower ends of the tubes will rest on the plate 3.

Associated with the feeding unit 1 for guiding the tubes to the marking unit I! is a guide unit 2 I. This unit 2| includes a guide rail 22 which is of arcuate form and is supported concentric with the unit 1 and above the turntable 3. The guide rail 22 will be spaced radially from the circumference of the unit I. The rail 22 is provided with a flared end 23 at the entrance end of the guide unit 2|. The guide rail 22 extends to the marking unit [1. The rail is flexibly mounted on an arcuate support 24 by means of a series of spaced spring-pressed plungers 25. The support 24 is disposed at the edge of turntable 3, is spaced above the turntable 3 and is concentric with the plate. Midway between its ends, the support 24 is bolted to a horizontal plate 26. This plate 26 rests on a block 2'! which is secured to the table top I at the edge of recess 2. The plate 26 is adjustably secured to block 21 by a pair of clamping bolts 28, mounted on block 21, which cooperate with a pair of slots 29 formed in plate 26. Thus, it will be apparent that the entire guide unit 2| may be adjusted radially towards or away from the center of the feeding unit 1.

In use, the tubes I8 may be fed onto the turntable 3 automatically in a suitable manner or by hand. The unit 1 will be of the proper size to receive the particular size tubes to be marked. The rotating unit 1 and turntable 3 will carry the tubes to the guide unit 2|. The rail 22 of this unit will be spaced from the outermost points on the rollers I2 a distance less than the diameter of the tubes so that there will be little danger of the tubes being thrown out, by centrifugal force, from the cradles formed by adjacent rollers. However, in case a tube does wedge between one of the rollers and rail 22, the rail will move outwardly and prevent binding of the feeding unit I with the guide unit 2|. The tubes will reach the marking unit H where they will be rolled over the characters [9 and be properly marked. The distance between unit I! and the rollers 12 will be such that sufiicient pressure will be applied on the tubes as they are rolled over the characters I9 to properly mark them. As the tubes are rolled over the characters l9, they will bear firmly against rollers 12 but such rollers will rotate about their own axes and greatly reduce friction. After marking, the tubes may be removed in any suitable manner.

When it is desired to adapt the machine to different size articles, the feeding unit 1 may be easily removed and replaced with a difierent size unit.

It will be apparent from the above description that my feeding mechanism is very effective. It will have a large capacity, and. will not injure the articles even when it is rotated at a high speed.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon or therefor.

What I claim is:

Apparatus for marking tubes and the like comprising, in combination, a horizontally disposed table top having a circular recess therein, a circular turntable having a thickness substantially equal to the depth of said recess and a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said recess, said turntable being rotatably mounted within said recess; a feeding unit. said feeding unit comprising a pair of vertically spaced disks of equal diameters substantially less than the diameter of said turntable, a plurality of vertically disposed. rollers having a length slightly less than the spacing between said disks mounted in a circle about the periphery of said disks between said dislzs and having portions extending radially outward beyond the periphery of said disks, said rollers being arranged closely adjacent each other to form cradles for receiving said tubes and to provide lateral support thereto along the entire length of said rollers, and clamping means securing said unit to said turntable concentrically therewith and arranged whereby said unit may be removed and replaced from said turntable as a unit; a stationary arcuate guide rail flexibly and adjustably secured to said table top and extending over said turntable concentrically with said disks; and a marking device adjustably secured to said table top and extending over said turntable, said marking device being spaced radially from said disks a distance such that said tubes are rotated across said marking device under pressure while being held in the cradle formed by said rollers.

LORENZO J. BLANCHETTE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

